activation after harware change

Question

My computor has an hardware problem and when the technician changed it it is written that my office professional 2021 is expired

Answer 1

1

Office Pro Plus is a volume licence version of Office used by large organizations, it is not a correct consumer licence version of Office, that type of licence may initially activate, but it would later deactivate automatically.

If that is your original version of Office, where did you purchase that licence, was that from an online retailer.

2

Log into your Microsoft account on this link, do you find any other version of Office linked to your account there, or a valid Microsoft 365 subscription.

https://account.microsoft.com/services/

Answer 2

Office Professional 2021 is a one-time purchase that is licensed for a single computer. After a significant hardware change (for example, motherboard replacement), activation can fail or show as expired because Microsoft’s activation service treats the new hardware as a different device.

To use Office Professional 2021 again after the repair, these are the supported options:

1. If this is the same license moved to a repaired or replacement PC and the Software License Terms allow transfer:
   • Install Office Professional 2021 again on the repaired/replacement device using the original product key or the account used to redeem it.
   • When activation fails or reports that the maximum number of activations has been reached, use telephone activation:
     1. Open an Office app (for example, Word).
     2. Go to File > Account.
     3. Choose the option to activate by telephone (if offered) and follow the steps.
   • After successful activation on the new hardware, Office must be uninstalled from the original device if it is still usable, as the license is for a single computer.
2. If the license was originally installed on another computer and is now being moved:
   • Confirm in the Software License Terms that transfer is allowed.
     • Open an Office app > File > Account > About program name > View the Microsoft Software License Terms.
     • For Office 2019/2016 (similar model to 2021), transfer terms are under “3. Transfer to a Third Party”.
   • If transfer is allowed, activate by telephone on the new hardware and ensure Office is removed from the old device.
3. If activation still fails after hardware change and telephone activation is not available or does not work:
   • The activation limit for that key may have been reached, or the key may not be valid for the current scenario.
   • In that case, a new product key or another copy of Office is required to continue using Office Professional 2021 on the repaired device.

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References:

• Activate Office after reinstalling or installing on a different device
• Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office